Unit Plan 25 (Grade 5 Science): Human Use of Earth’s Systems

Focus: Analyze how individuals and communities use science ideas to protect water, air, and land in their local environment.

Grade Level: 5

Subject Area: Science (Earth & Human Activity)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students become community resource investigators, exploring how people use science-based ideas to protect Earth’s resources. They examine how local communities care for water (hydrosphere), air (atmosphere), and land (geosphere/biosphere) through actions like recycling, storm-drain protection, tree planting, and air quality rules. Using readings, videos, and simple data, students obtain and combine information about these efforts and then create a Human Use of Earth’s Systems Action Profile that explains what is being done, why it matters, and how science is involved.

Essential Questions

• How do people and communities use science ideas to protect water, air, and land?
• Why is it important to protect Earth’s resources for both people and other living things?
• What can we learn from local examples of community action, and how can we share that information with others?
• How does understanding Earth’s systems help communities make better choices about resource use?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify local examples of how people use water, air, and land (Earth’s systems) and potential problems (pollution, waste, overuse).
2. Obtain information from texts, videos, websites, and/or guest speakers about how communities use science ideas to protect resources and environment.
3. Organize and compare examples of community actions (e.g., recycling, watershed protection, air-quality alerts, habitat restoration).
4. Explain, in their own words, how at least one community effort uses science ideas to protect Earth’s water, air, or land.
5. Create a Human Use of Earth’s Systems Action Profile (poster, slide, or one-page brief) combining information about a chosen community effort, including what is done, why, and how science is involved.

Standards Alignment — 5th Grade (NGSS-Aligned)

• 5-ESS3-1 — Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name and describe several ways people use water, air, and land where I live.
• I can find and record information about how a community uses science ideas to protect water, air, or land.
• I can combine information from more than one source (text, video, website, or speaker) about a community action.
• I can explain how scientific ideas (like pollution, erosion, water quality, air quality, or habitats) connect to a real-life action.
• I can make a clear product (poster/brief) that someone else can understand without me speaking.